photo by: Nick Krug

Kansas football head coach David Beaty gives the rundown on his incoming players during a Signing Day news conference at Mrkonic Auditorium in the Anderson Family Football Complex.

Verbal commitments from five high school prospects from Louisiana, including a five-star and a four-star, form the heart of a Kansas football recruiting Class of 2018 that has soared to No. 12 nationally in the Rivals.com recruiting rankings.

The Louisiana recruits understandably have generated so much excitement that another commitment that in typical KU recruiting seasons would have been cause for celebration has slipped under the radar.

In the wake of the flurry of Louisiana commitments, KU received a verbal pledge from a three-star Texas quarterback who has thrived against tough competition.

Clayton Tune of Hebron High in Carrollton, Texas, is a 6-foot-2, 195-pound dual-threat quarterback who had been offered a scholarship from Houston. He suffered a knee injury at the end of last season.

Nick Krueger, Texas recruiting analyst for Rivals, liked what he saw from Tune and narrates his highlight video.

Krueger called him “a flat-out effective runner,” and praised his passing ability: “I really like his delivery, how he’s able to fit hard throws into tight windows, and obviously his ability to extend plays.”

Even if his knee injury prevents Tune from playing a full season or at full strength as a senior, Kansas can be patient with his development because the QB position appears to be stabilizing.
Peyton Bender has two years of remaining eligibility, Carter Stanley three and Tyriek Starks four.

In addition to Tune, the lone quarterback, KU has received pledges from three defensive tackles, three defensive ends, two defensive backs, two wide receivers, a running back and an offensive lineman.

It’s not unusual for elite football programs to raid recruiting classes of lesser established programs late in the process.

Even so, it has to help KU’s chances that the class’ five-star and four-star recruits both come from the same high school where safety Mike Lee had a great experience as a true freshman in 2016.

Wide receiver Devonta Jason, a five-star, and DB Corione Harris, a four-star, and Lee all are from Landry-Walker High in New Orleans.

It will be difficult for Kansas to maintain its No. 12 national recruiting ranking for the Class of 218, but a top 25 finish is a reasonable expectation.

Here’s how the top 25 shaped up as of this morning:

1 – Miami

2 – Ohio State

3 – LSU

4 – Penn State

5 – Texas

6 – Florida State

7 – Notre Dame

8 – Tennessee

9 – Baylor

10 – Nebraska

11 – Oklahoma State

12 – Kansas

13 – Michigan

14 – Clemson

15 – Texas A&M

16 – Oregon

17 – Minnesota

18 – Northwestern

19 – Washington

20 – Virginia Tech

21 – USC

22 – Oklahoma

23 – Wisconsin

24 – Kentucky

25 – Duke